Last updated: October 2026
If you have sold your car and fines or toll notices are still arriving in your name, the usual cause is simple: the vehicle was never transferred out of your name with VicRoads. In Victoria the seller must tell VicRoads about the sale within 14 days by lodging a notice of disposal. Until that is done, you are still the registered operator, and anything the car does is sent to you. This guide explains the 14 day rule, how to lodge the notice and what to do if a fine has already arrived.
What Is a Notice of Disposal?
A notice of disposal is how a seller tells VicRoads that a car has been sold and who bought it. In Victoria you lodge it with the buyer’s details, usually online through your myVicRoads account. Once it is processed, the car is transferred out of your name and fines, tolls and registration notices stop coming to you.
The 14 Day Rule: What VicRoads Requires
VicRoads says that when you sell a vehicle registered in Victoria, you need to let it know within 14 days. The steps are straightforward:
- Collect the buyer’s details at the sale. The printed Transfer vehicle form from VicRoads has space for both parties’ details. Fill it in together before the car leaves.
- Log in to myVicRoads. Go to Vehicles and Registration, select the vehicle and choose Transfer vehicle. The myVicRoads app works too.
- Enter the buyer’s details and submit. VicRoads says you will get an email within 24 hours confirming the vehicle has been transferred out of your name.
- Keep a copy of the transfer form. Give the buyer a copy of your details for their records.
If you lodge the notice online, any registration direct debit for that vehicle is cancelled automatically. If you do it another way, cancel the direct debit yourself.
Why Fines and Tolls Keep Coming After You Sell
Fines from road cameras, council parking officers and toll roads are sent to the registered operator of the car. If the transfer has not gone through, that is still you. VicRoads warns that if you do not complete the notice, you may be subject to fines, tolls and other legal issues linked to the vehicle after you have sold it.
The most common reasons we hear are a cash sale with no paperwork, a buyer who promised to “sort out the rego” and never did, and a seller who did not have the buyer’s address when they went to lodge the notice.
What to Do If a Fine Arrives After the Sale
Act quickly. Each notice has its own due date, and the options shrink once a fine moves to a final demand.
| Notice type | Who sends it | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Camera or police fine sent by post | Fines Victoria | Nominate online. Selling the car before the offence date is an accepted reason. For some fines you must nominate within 28 days to avoid a licence suspension. |
| Public transport related fine | Fines Victoria (Safe Transport Victoria) | Use the nomination statement for the logo on your notice. |
| Council parking fine | The council named on the notice | Contact that council and use its nomination process, with proof of the sale date. |
| Toll invoice | The toll road operator named on the notice | Contact the operator, give the sale date and buyer details, and send your VicRoads confirmation. |
Fines Victoria says you can nominate when you sold or otherwise disposed of the vehicle before the offence date, and that once a fine becomes a Notice of Final Demand it is too late to nominate. Online nomination is the preferred way. If it is accepted, the fine is withdrawn and reissued to the person you nominated.
Documents That Prove You Sold the Car
Whoever reviews your nomination or dispute wants to see when the car left your hands and who took it. Keep these together:
- Your copy of the VicRoads Transfer vehicle form with both parties’ details
- The VicRoads email confirming the transfer
- A receipt or bill of sale with the date and time
- Proof of payment, such as a bank transfer record
- Messages with the buyer that show the agreed pickup date
If you sold privately for cash, write a simple receipt on the spot with the date, the time, the price, the car’s registration number and VIN, and both names and signatures. Take a photo of it on your phone before the buyer leaves. A receipt like this is often the deciding document if a fine lands a week later.
Selling a Car Owned by a Company
If the car is registered to a company or organisation, VicRoads says the transfer cannot be completed online through a myVicRoads business account. You should visit a VicRoads Customer Service Centre to finalise it. Book that visit for the day of the sale so the 14 day window does not slip.
Selling to an Interstate Buyer
If the buyer lives in another state, VicRoads recommends you cancel the registration and remove the plates. That stops the car being driven on your Victorian registration while the buyer registers it in their own state.
Mistakes That Leave You Paying Someone Else’s Fines
- Handing over the car before the buyer’s full name and address are written down
- Leaving the transfer to the buyer and never checking it was done
- Leaving a toll tag in the car, so tolls keep charging to your account
- Waiting more than 14 days to lodge the notice
- Ignoring the first fine and only acting at the final demand stage
For the full list of things to clear out before pickup, including toll tags, garage remotes and saved addresses, see our checklist on what to remove before selling a car.
How We Handle the Transfer When You Sell to Us
When you sell to us, we complete the transfer paperwork with you at the time of sale, so you are not chasing a buyer for details afterwards. As a licensed motor car trader (LMCT 12395) we also buy cars without a roadworthy. You can read more about who pays the transfer fee and how to claim a registration refund after the sale.
Selling through our cash for cars service in Melbourne means the paperwork is done before we drive away.
Worried about fines that arrived before the sale? Find out whether you can sell a car with unpaid fines in Victoria.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to lodge a notice of disposal in Victoria?
VicRoads says you need to let it know within 14 days of selling a vehicle registered in Victoria.
Can I lodge a notice of disposal online?
Yes. Log in to myVicRoads, go to Vehicles and Registration, select the vehicle and choose Transfer vehicle. You need the buyer’s details.
I sold my car and got a speeding fine. What do I do?
Nominate the buyer through Fines Victoria before the due date. Selling the car before the offence date is an accepted reason, and you should include proof of the sale.
What if I do not have the buyer’s details?
Contact VicRoads straight away and keep every record of the sale. Without the buyer’s name and address the transfer is much harder, which is why the details belong on the transfer form at the sale.
Does a licensed car buyer handle the transfer for me?
When you sell to us, we complete the transfer paperwork with you at the time of sale and you keep a copy for your records.
Sources
- VicRoads: What to do when you sell a vehicle
- Fines Victoria: Nominate a driver
- Linkt: Add, remove or update vehicles
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About the author: Written by Steve, owner of Victorian Car Buyers, a licensed motor car trader (LMCT 12395) based in Delahey, Melbourne.